A five-year-old Ruby awoke to find herself in an unknown forest. "Yang? Dad? Mom? Aunt Raven? Uncle Qrow? Sapphire?" she called out. A sudden sound made her squeal in fright. She chose a direction and ran, hearing rushed footsteps behind her.

Looking behind her, Ruby saw a beast and the little girl's eyes widened. It looked like a mutated beowolf, but it didn't look like a Grimm at all.

On a ledge not too far away was a small figure watching the little girl running for her life. "Maaa, what's a little girl doing in the fourth layer without an adult?" the figure narrowed its eyes. "time to save a life." It said hefting a musket that was for its frame.

Ruby continued to run before screeching to a halt, nearly falling off the edge of an extremely deep sinkhole. As she hyperventilated at the height, the beowolf-like creature stalked towards her. 'Guess this is how I die.' She thought as the beast prepared to pounce.

Ruby closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable when a loud gunshot rang out. The beast plowed into the ground, stopping at ruby's feet.

Cautiously, the little girl opened her eyes and nearly backpedaled off the edge. "Maaa, don't fall off after I killed the beast to save your life kid." Came the voice of her savoir. Ruby turned in the direction which it came from and her eyes widened

It had short black hair, tall rabbit-like ears while a tail swayed behind it, a helmet topped with goggles on it atop its head. The wore some kind of overall-like leather armor and a scarf covered its mouth. (think Nanachi with a cave raider helmet that has goggles replacing the lantern whilst a cloth covered the back of the neck)

The two made eye contact. Ruby trembled as the creature approached. It reached for her. It placed a hand on her head. To the girl's surprise, it ruffled her hair.

"Maaa, relax, I won't hurt you." It said in a masculine tone identifying the person as male. The stranger's calming smile fell slightly as his ears twitched. "Follow me please. You'll be safe. I promise." He said holding out his hand or was it paw?

Ruby was hesitant, but what were the chances that she would be able to survive without help. She cautiously grasped it and followed him.

The little girl's face lit up in awe as she and the stranger entered a grove. There in front of them was a moderately sized hut. Just big enough to house three people.

"Come on in. pardon the slight mess. Haven't really had time to clean." The strange creature said hanging what she assumed was used to kill the monster. "the name's Saki. I'm a Narehate or what you surface dwellers call a Hollow." The stranger said as he took his helmet and scarf off.

Ruby watched as the overalls fell, surprisingly the overalls were separate from the pants themselves. "What's your name kiddo?" 'Saki' asked. "Ruby Rose, Mr. Hollow." Ruby said.

"Maaa, you can just call me Saki, ya know." The Narehate said sweat dropping. The five-year-old shook her head. "No, Daddy,, mommy, auntie Raven, and my big sis told me to be respectful. Since you don't have an actual last name, I'll call your Mr. Hollow." Saki's sweat drop doubled in size.

A week went by and Saki taught Ruby how to free run, cook, and start campfire. Heck, he even admitted that the Hollow last name actually went well with his first name. unfortunately, like all good things, it had to come to an end…

Or would it?

"Ok, I spotted a cave raider camp near us." Mr. Hollow said. "You'll be going home soon." Ruby looked at him and frown. "What do you mean? You're coming too right?" the little girl asked. "No, Narehates aren't exactly liked up top Lil' Rose." He said.

"I'll protect you. I'll tell daddy, mommy, big sis, Auntie Raven, and uncle Qrow what you've done for me. they'll help." Ruby said. Mr. Hollow shook his head. "This is my home, my world. I don't belong there." He said. Ruby looked down before getting an idea.

"Then I'll stay with you." She said. "No." Mr. Hollow said gently pushing her towards the camp. "If I go will I ever see you again. It depends if the people of remnant decide to explore the abyss. When I scouted the camp out I discovered some merchants visiting were from Vale."

Mr. Hollow took off his goggles and gave them to Ruby. "Something to remember me by." The Narehate smiled behind his scarf before lowering it. "I will always be your friend and guardian ruby." He said before kissing her forehead and departing.

Ruby took a step forward but paused. She looked back in Mr. Hollow's direction then at the camp.

She was torn. Behind her was her first friend, who most likely would be alone until she had the chance to return and in front of her was her ticket home. Back to her mom, dad, sister yang, Aunt Raven, and Uncle Qrow.

With tears in her eyes, Ruby made a choice.

Saki walked back to his hut disheartened at what he did. He had wanted her to stay, but it'd have been selfish to keep her with him and he would've been hunted and killed as a result. Despite this, the Narehate smiled. However, the smile faded as his ears heard someone yelling.

"MR. HOLLOW!" Turning, he saw Ruby running at him stumbling slightly. "Lil' Rose?!" he asked confused before the little girl hugged him. "I'm staying. No matter what you say will change my mind." She said sobbing.

Saki rubbed her back to comfort the girl. The Narehate was stunned. The girl gave up her chance to go home just so he wouldn't be lonely. "Why?" he asked.

The little girl looked at him with watery eyes. "I don't want you to feel lonely." She said. Saki gave the girl a bittersweet smile before embracing her.

"As long as I live, I swear to protect you." The Narehate said. "Come on, I was going to make supper anyways." Saki took Ruby's hand in his. "I promise to grow up big and strong to help you protect those who deserve it." She said making the Narehate bark with laughter.

"I'm sure you will Lil' Rose. I'm sure you will." Saki said as they approached his, no, their hut.

{Son of man; Tarzan 1999 plays as a montage begins}

[Ruby, now wearing Saki's goggles around her neck, is seen attempting to climb a tree following Saki.]

[She slowly begins to slip. Before she can fall, Saki grabs her hand and slings her onto his back.

["We'll start small okay?" he said as ruby nodded]

-line break-

[Ruby is seen attempting to start a campfire at night and is successful. Saki is seen smiling in pride]

-line break-

[A slightly older Ruby is seen holding what appeared to be a sawed breech loaded rifle]

[Saki is positioning her arms and legs into the proper position teaching her how to shoot it]

-line break-

YEARS PASS BY

[A much older Ruby is seen running across the ground towards a gap]

[She raises an arm and shoots a grapple and swings across landing on a raised outcropping]

[grinning, she clambers up a tree then begins to parkour, passing Saki as she did so]

[Ruby parkoured until she reached the edge of the sinkhole]

[ reaching it, she let out a triumphant yell of excitement]

{Son of Man; Tarzan 1999 ends}

Saki was in his grove, cracking open some fruits he'd gathered, seemingly unaware someone was sneaking up behind him. Or so the ambusher thought as the Narehate's ear twitched. Saki smirked.

"Don't even think about it Lil' Rose." He said with amusement. The now seventeen-year-old girl groaned in frustration. "You're no fun Mr. Hollow." Ruby said passing the Narehate, picking up a fruit as she did so.

In the twelve years she'd been with Mr. Hollow, Ruby had decided to grow out her hair slightly. The back ended just below her shoulder blades, she also had a bang framing the right side of her face (A/N: picture a long-haired volume 7 Ruby)

She wore a grey turtleneck under the Cave Raider vest she had on. She had a rifle holster strapped to her back that housed her sawed off gun. She also wore a pair of fingerless gloves. On Ruby's left forearm was a retractable grapple.

Saki chuckled again. "Maaa, these ears aren't just for show ya' know Rubes." The Narehate said smugly pointing at his ears. Ruby scoffed as she drew her knife that was strapped to her lower right leg.

"I found a camp nearby when I was gathering…." Saki began "No! I'm not leaving you to live by yourself Mr. Hollow." Ruby said angrily already knowing where this was going.. "You didn't let me finish." The Narehate said sternly

"One of them had a scroll. Something that surface dwellers outside the Abyss use. Let's finish up here before meeting them."

-line break-

"I'm telling you professor we should go." A cave raider said. Professor Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Oh do tell." He asked. "There's a story about a human that was raised by the fabled Raider killer. Her name was…" the raider began to say before another called out.

"It's them! The Scarlet Hunter and Raider Killer!" Everyone froze in fright as Saki brandished his musket while ruby drew her rifle and tanto. She was wearing a red scarf around her mouth. The raiders trembled in fear whilst Ozpin did nothing.

"So, these are the infamous Scarlet Hunter and Raider Killer." He said approaching them. Ruby, having been satisfied by the raiders' fear, sunk into a crouching position.

"Maaa, what's a person from beyond the Abyss' surface doing here?" Saki asked. "To solve a 12-year-old cold case." Ozpin said

"Cold case?" Ruby asked. "You.. have silver eyes." Ozpin said making Saki grip his gun.

"No need for hostilities, I'm just surprised that she has silver eyes. As for the case; twelve years ago, a girl named Ruby Rose went missing from her home on patch and no one had seen her since." Ruby frowned vaguely remembering how she arrived in the abyss, but couldn't exactly remember.

"it remained a mystery until now. It's good to see you're still alive, Miss Rose." Ozpin said. Ruby's eyes narrowed.

"if you're here to take me back forget it. I'm not leaving Mr. Hollow to live by himself." The teen practically snarled out. "I've actual come with an offer to join beacon and use your skills to protect people." Ozpin said

"Tempting, but…" Ruby began, however she was cut off by Saki. "She accepts." He said shocking her. "Ruby," the Narehate began catching the young woman's attention.

"One of these days I won't be here. then you'll be in the same position as me. I'd rather die knowing you're with your birth parents than leave you alone in the abyss." Saki said, a somber expression on his face.

Ruby, despite her slight anger, could understand. "Ok, I'll go, but… only if you come with." She said glaring at the Narehate.

Saki sweat dropped as the cave raiders, and Ozpin amusingly watched the abyss' two most feared legends bicker like an old married couple.

A/N: Thus, begins the alternate tale of The Amazing Mr. Hollow. Next we'll see Ruby and Saki meet Ruby's surface family. Yes, this version of Ruby is kind of like Tarzan